China Grants First Licenses for Online Video

Ten video-on-demand services, including three private operators and seven owned or controlled by the state, have become the first to win new government licenses in the wake of a regulatory clampdown on the popular video Web sites.

But regulators have yet to decide the fate of the country’s video-sharing sites including the popular Tudou.com, which has been warned about content violations but says it wants a license, and Youku.com, whose status under the new licensing requirement is unclear.

The 10 licenses awarded by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) were announced March 31. No timetable for further approvals was released.